Bells and cable continued facing off over exclusive apartment vid...

the cable commenters arguing that rollout of broadband could be hurt if the commission issues an order to restrict agreements that designate individual pay-TV companies as solo providers of video to multiple dwelling units (MDUs) and housing developments. “With very few exceptions, commenters agreed” that an FCC order banning such deals has “a very high probability of adversely affecting other competitive services, particularly voice and broadband,” Comcast said. NCTA said the FCC lacks authority to regulate exclusives. AT&T, Verizon and USTelecom said the FCC has ample leeway to intervene. Verizon cited Section 628(b) of the Communications Act. “Commenters from other new video market entrants, from a leading supplier of fiber optic equipment, and from consumers provide additional support for a targeted remedy,” it said. “There is nearly universal agreement that any restriction should be narrowly limited to exclusive access arrangements.” USTelecom said the FCC was correct in its March 27 notice of proposed rulemaking to link broadband deployment to pay-TV contracts. “This proceeding is as much about broadband deployment as it is about video programming choice,” the group said. AT&T wants the FCC should enter the fray because the number of exclusive apartment video deals is “growing rapidly,” saying “the notice has been met with a chorus of complaints from incumbent cable operators and other entities that support exclusive MDU access agreements because those agreements serve to exempt them from meaningful competition.”